This year, Hajj takes place May 25 through 29. Usually, millions attend, but ongoing regional instability could impact travel plans and security.

Airspace around the Persian Gulf remains unstable, making safety difficult to guarantee. Pierre Houssney of Horizons International says, “A lot of airline companies are not willing to fly in the region.”

Crowd in Mecca, Saudi Arabia (photo courtesy of Fahad Puthawala via Pexels)

The conflict also raises questions about whether Shiite Muslims will attend this year’s pilgrimage. Houssney explains, “There has been war now between the Shiites and the Sunnis across that Persian Gulf.”

Because of these tensions, Saudi authorities will likely remain on high alert for possible terrorist threats during the pilgrimage season.

Even so, Hajj continues to hold deep spiritual significance for Muslims worldwide.

“Muslims around the world actually see making that pilgrimage as a kind of goal in life,” says Houssney.

For many of them, Hajj reflects a deep longing to draw near to God.

“Muslims are looking toward these physical acts that you can do to receive the forgiveness of sins,” he adds.

Many Muslims believe their salvation can be earned through religious acts such as making the pilgrimage, reading the Quran, giving to the poor, or fasting during Ramadan. Yet many remain unsure if they have truly pleased God. Outwardly, they may appear devout while inwardly longing for His love and acceptance.

Pray, “That they would be able to find the only true way to receive forgiveness of sins, which is through Jesus’s sacrifice, not through their own actions.”

Please pray also for the nearly 2.06 billion Muslims worldwide — both those attending Hajj and those staying home — to find true hope in Christ.

Visit Horizons International to learn more about fulfilling the Great Commission and supporting ministry work in Muslim communities.

Header photo: Men praying in Mecca, Saudi Arabia (courtesy of Mido Makasardi via Pexels).

Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs, USA says that Saudi Arabia in 2016 and Saudi Arabia today are like two completely different countries. Here are two factors of the change:

(Stock photo courtesy of Bahaa A. Shawqi via Pexels)

“One was the disempowering of the religious police, who were enforcing the Quranic code. They were the people who would grab a woman off the street if she was showing some of her hair, if her veil wasn’t covering her the way they thought it should,” he says. “Disempowering them changed the atmosphere in the whole country. You didn’t have so many people living in so much fear.”

Then, some traditions or laws that were based on the Quran have been changed. One example is that women no longer need a male relative to accompany them in order to travel. Women are also allowed to drive now. 

Nettleton says changes like these in Saudis cultural standards have created new spiritual openness.

“The average person in Saudi Arabia starts to question the foundation of those standards,” he explains. “‘Well, I thought this is what the Quran says. Did the Quran change, or did it not really ever say that? Well, then, what else is there that is permanent, that I could trust, that doesn’t change from year to year or from generation to generation?’”

There is also a desire within Saudi Arabia’s leaders to be more friendly with the West, Nettleton points out. 

“There are biblical sites in Saudi Arabia that they are right now building superhighways to get tourists to come and see them. They know many of those tourists are going to be Christians. They want to see, you know, where Moses split the rock or where the Israelites crossed the Red Sea,” he says. 

“So there is going to be a lot of opportunity for Westerners and Christians to be on the ground in Saudi Arabia in the years to come.”

A man in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Photo courtesy of Mohammad Alashri via Unsplash)

However, Christians walk carefully. Non-Muslims can live in Saudi Arabia — indeed, the nation has a large migrant worker population, Nettleton says. But for Saudi citizens, converting from Islam is prohibited by the government and severely resisted by their families. (More on that here.)

“The idea of reaching Saudis, that’s sort of the red line for persecution. That’s the red line for what the government will or could or might tolerate,” says Nettleton.

Please pray for open doors for gospel workers already in Saudi Arabia, slowly planting seeds that may take years to grow. Pray for more ambassadors to join them.

“Pray, pray, and pray,” says Nettleton. “The other thing I would encourage people [is] go to Saudi Arabia. Be on the ground. Pray inside the country for God to move. I think it’s great when Christians go with a proactive idea that we are ambassadors for Christ … even for a week of tourism.” 

Header photo: Makkah, Saudi Arabia (Stock photo courtesy of Muhd Emy Jailani via Unsplash)

Fighting between rebel forces and the Sudanese army has killed more than 40,000 people since 2023 and forced nearly 15 million people to flee their homes. Yesterday, rebel forces launched a drone strike that killed 17 people – most of them girls. Drone warfare adds a dangerous dynamic to the conflict.

(Student News Agency, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons)

Plus, Sudan’s war has become a proxy conflict for nations like Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. As described here, Sudan is a critical geopolitical playing field for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The UAE reportedly supports rebel forces, while Saudi Arabia increasingly backs Sudan’s military.

At the same time, the U.S. targets Iranian-backed militia in Sudan, applying pressure to Sudan’s army. The Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood is reportedly a significant supporter of the Sudanese Armed Forces, which called for a terrorist designation of rebel forces on Monday.

Though the war drags on, the Lord is at work amid death and despair. Church planters active in Sudan “are discovering new depths of faith and strength, and it’s a wonderful thing to see,” says John, a Gospel worker whose organization we cannot name for security purposes.

“Even though we weep with them, God is sufficient. As we walk through this war, we are seeing how sufficient God is.”

God works amid war

John’s organization operates a school of mission, which prepares new believers to make disciples in Sudan and surrounding nations.

“We’ve graduated 322 Muslim-background believers from Sudan from 89 tribes,” John says.

Plus, church planters are working with unreached people groups in 13 refugee camps. In their context, persecution and spiritual harvest go hand in hand. “The reality is they go together; we don’t find them separated in any way,” John says.

(Photo courtesy of Spoken Worldwide)

“In just two months’ time, we’ve had attempts on the [lives] of two of our leaders. One of our leaders was shot,” he continues.

Simultaneously, “there are baptisms in the face of persecution, because the Spirit of God is moving.”

How to help

Church planters risk their lives daily to share Jesus in Muslim-majority Sudan. Will you partner with them?

“Prayer is the mobilization of all that God does,” John says. “Just write Sudan somewhere, and you can say, ‘God, I was reminded of Sudan. Will You be with these precious people?’”

Use the prayer prompts listed alongside this article to guide your intercession. You can also donate to John’s organization here to ensure church planters have the resources they need to keep working.

Header image is a representative AI photo generated by ChatGPT.

Despite the pilgrimage being a sacred, once-in-a-lifetime obligation for Muslims, unauthorized attempts remain high, highlighting concerns about safety amid rising temperatures and past fatal accidents during the event.

Suzanne Heegaard of Prayercast, MNN’s sister ministry, says, “This is a very holy week for Muslims. They prepare for months, trying to procure a seat or a ticket, with packing [and] preparations.”

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. More about that here. According to Islamic tradition, performing the Hajj pilgrimage tests patience, temperament, and devotion to Allah.

The first Hajj ritual requires walking seven times around the Kaaba, the large black cubic structure in the middle of Mecca’s Grand Mosque.
(Photo courtesy of Haidan/Unsplash)

Because it depends on lunar sightings, the timing of the Hajj varies annually. This year, it starts tomorrow and ends on Monday, June 9.

“It is a spiritual pilgrimage that they (Muslims) complete once in their lifetime if finances and physical ability allow them to,” Heegaard says.

“They see it as a religious duty. They believe that Hajj will earn them salvation.”

Those who were refused entry by Saudi officials could feel desperation because they could not participate in the Hajj this year. Pray this desperation leads individuals to seek answers outside of Islam.

“For those who didn’t get their ticket, we’re praying that they can realize that Jesus is readily available for all Muslims everywhere to offer full hope and peace right where they are,” Heegaard says.

Now that you know, how will you respond? Join Prayercast’s email campaign to pray for Muslims during Hajj.

“We would love to have you guys join us and pray during Hajj for Muslims because God created Muslims, and He loves them,” Heegaard says.

Header image depicts Muslim pilgrims in traditional white clothing. Photo courtesy of Afif Ramdhasuma/Unsplash.

Fadi Sharaiha with the MENA Leadership Center was surprised those meetings took place, since until recently al-Sharaa was wanted by the US. (More on that here.) 

“It seems that there is something that we don’t know [going on], and it seems that there are so many international arrangements around this,” Sharaiha says. “I really hope that this will not be [at] the expense of the minorities, including the Christians in Syria.” 

He is concerned Syria might fall into the chaos Iraq has been experiencing for years.

“The training inspired me to new approaches to ministry… I began to implement the material, combining both the passion and skills for a more significant impact in God’s kingdom. Thank you for the abundant, precious resources you left in our hands.” – Key Ministry Leader from Jordan (Photo, caption courtesy of MLC)

“[On the] one hand, yes, it is much better not to have [the] Assad regime. On the other hand, we don’t know what to expect,” Sharaiha says. Words are one thing; actions are another. Syria has not been an Islamic nation, but is it headed that way?

“[Syria] is impacting our work, because we need to be sensitive to the needs of the Christian leaders and the different ministries in the Middle East, and now the needs are different,” says Sharaiha. He says future courses they offer might focus on how to rebuild economies and ministries. 

Rebuilding is deeply needed in Syria today. Please pray that the events in Syria will lead to the advancing of God’s Kingdom. But in those prayers for the church and the nation, also be encouraged — Sharaiha sees God at work in the midst of it all. 

“Many people — especially the youth — are coming to faith from different backgrounds in Syria. This is beautiful to see them coming together from different backgrounds, worshiping the Lord,” Sharaiha says.

“We have a sovereign God — His sovereignty is amazing. Regardless of whatever we think and we fear, remember that the Lord is good, He is in charge, and He is helping, supporting the church in Syria.” 

Header photo: Syrian citizens celebrate the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, December 2024 (Photo courtesy of Shvan Hark via Unsplash)

Among those “some” is FMI, which strives to empower indigenous church planters around the world. Today is an exciting season of growth for them as they build partnerships with church planters in three new countries: Malawi, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco.

“We do work in predominantly Muslim-dominated countries [and] cultures,” says FMI’s Patrick Anthony.

“However, if we take one step back, our mission is to work in places [where] it’s difficult for the church to grow and expand because of persecution and or poverty. A lot of times that is in a Muslim context. But not always.”

In Morocco and Saudi Arabia, FMI is still in the networking phase. Anthony says this takes time. For example, when believers in Malawi reached out to FMI to ask for training, several years of conversations followed. Only recently was FMI able to host the first training conference with a network of pastors, which was received with great joy.

FMI empowers indigenous church planters around the world. (Photo courtesy of FMI)

“In a ministry like FMI, trust between leaders is essential, because you’re dealing with people in very hard situations. A lot of them are dealing with some level of persecution,” Anthony says. “They need to trust you and, and vice versa.”

Once that trust is established, the pace can abruptly switch from conversation to dynamic action. 

“They [church planters] have such a heart for their country. They want the necessary support, whether it’s training or whatever it might be. They want ministry to happen. So once they trust you, they want to be off and running,” says Anthony.

Pray for wisdom for FMI as they connect with believers in these new countries — especially Saudi Arabia. 

“How we try to expand into new countries wherever we go — in particular in places like Saudi Arabia — is [by] trying to follow prior contacts,” Anthony says. 

“[In Saudi Arabia] it’s going to be more conversations over tea, more network sharing. The first big goal for us is trying to identify potential leaders, people that could oversee a network of church planters in a country.”

Pray that FMI will effectively help church planters share the gospel and strengthen other believers. (More on FMI’s work here.) Pray also that young Christians will stay in these nations even when it’s hard. Church leaders in Morocco are seeing many of the next generation leave and not return. 

“Pray for job opportunities. Pray for [young] people to be willing to stay in their country or return to their country after university,” Anthony says. 

Header photo of the Hisma Desert in Saudi Arabia is a representative stock photo courtesy of NEOM/Unsplash.

“Saudi Arabia’s rate of Christian growth is about 65% greater than the global average,” says Bruce Allen with FMI, citing statistics from Joshua Project. “Just because we hear that a government is closed to the gospel doesn’t mean the hearts of the people are.”

Saudi Arabia’s government is an Islamic absolute monarchy. As you might expect, that puts believers in challenging positions. Allen says, “If you’re born in Saudi Arabia to a Muslim father, by law, you are deemed Muslim. Obviously, [an] overwhelming majority [of] citizens are Muslim. Any non-Muslim must practice their religion in secret — underground, so to speak — and they’re vulnerable to discrimination and arrest.”

FMI steps right into this window of opportunity and opposition in which local church leaders live. 

“We know there are shepherds of small, underground, scattered fellowships of Christ followers. [We want to] come alongside of them, and empower them for their crucial work in such a strategic place as the birthplace of Islam,” Allen says. 

A team from FMI will be going for the third time to Saudi Arabia this year. Pray for fruitful connections with local church leaders.

“It’s a hard place. Pray that their faith would grow, and that they can bless their countrymen in Jesus’s name, and that more people would respond,” Allen says. “We see the work of the Holy Spirit occurring in this place.”

Three Christian girls share a single Bible while attending a church service held in a private Saudi Arabia home. It is customary to remove shoes for these gatherings. (Photo, caption courtesy of FMI.)

Pray also for the foreign workers living in Saudi Arabia. 

“About 30% of Saudi Arabia’s population are not Saudi. They come from other countries to work in Saudi Arabia. Pray that the Christians among those foreigners would have opportunities and courage for creative and clear gospel presentations,” says Allen. 

Consider partnering with FMI to lift up church planters in expanding mission fields like Saudi Arabia. To support this work, visit forgottenmissionaries.org and give a gift to their New Fields initiative.

Header photo of Mecca is a representative stock photo courtesy of GLady via Pixabay.

The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and a requirement for every Muslim.

Bruce Allen with FMI says, “Saudi authorities try to control the flow of pilgrims through quotas, allowing each country one pilgrim for every 1,000 Muslim citizens. People are just hoping that this year, I will be one of the ones who is allowed to go in — whether they’re going from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Netherlands, or wherever they may live.

“But there are unofficial pilgrims who also come because they’re told to. Their religion says you must perform this act.”

Roughly one-quarter the size of the US in terms of land mass, Saudi Arabia is mostly desert and is one of the few countries in the world with no rivers; instead, there are some wadis – valleys with river beds – which may occasionally collect water. The average annual rainfall in most areas of the country is below 6″. Less than 2% of the land is arable. (Photo, caption courtesy of FMI)

Unofficial pilgrims on the Hajj didn’t have the same access to shaded pavilions and water as registered pilgrims. The Saudi Health Minister reported 83% of those fatalities were unauthorized pilgrims.

Pilgrims on the Hajj desire to be closer to their god. Please pray for Muslims around the world to know the truth in Jesus Christ.

Allen says, “I keep going back to Jesus’s words: ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.’ And I pray, Lord, let me be an agent of your filling to those people to give them the spiritual nourishment that they really need, rather than all the polluted cisterns…where people go to get water when Jesus offers living water.”

“As much as there’s this obligation on Muslims to perform the Hajj, for Christ’s followers, there’s an obligation on us to let those living waters flow from us and quench the spiritual thirst of people literally dying in the desert.”

FMI is expanding its ministry to new fields, including Saudi Arabia, to support believers representing Christ under difficult circumstances. Pray for FMI as they connect with Christians in Saudi Arabia and discern ways to unify and expand the Church.

Support FMI’s expansion to new fields here!

Header photo courtesy of FMI.

In 2018, former U.S. President Donald Trump exited a 2015 nuclear accord and reimposed sanctions to curb oil exports and the associated revenue to Iran’s government. Sanctions continued during President Joe Biden’s term, yet Iran’s oil exports rose, hitting a five-year high in 2023.

Previously, sanctions could sway Iran toward diplomatic efforts. Now, a weakened U.S. presence in the region and new geopolitical partnerships allow Iran to pursue its own agenda.

“Iran has not been held accountable for the executions and atrocities it has committed since September of 2022’s uprising. The international community is not doing anything,” Heart4Iran’s Mike Ansari says.

“We’re going to see a new era where Iran is not held accountable to anyone. They will continue ruling by power, with an iron fist.”

Technology will likely play a key role in Iran’s authoritarian governance. Last year, China helped Iran install security cameras nationwide to crack down on protests. Saudi Arabia uses similar technology from China to build a futuristic “smart city” run on A.I. and user data.

Smart cities allegedly use data and surveillance to improve efficiency and safety. Skeptics voice concern about privacy and individual freedoms.

(Graphic courtesy of Heart4Iran)

“The whole conversation is not revolving around the safety and security of these nations. It’s revolving around espionage, or spying on people and violating people’s rights,” Ansari says.

“Countries that are willing to violate human rights and religious freedom are the ones using these extreme measures to [control the population.]”

Iran already uses digital means to target and persecute Christians. Chinese support could make the Islamic regime even more dangerous.

“Anything that may threaten the foundations of Islamic tenants is an enemy, and they’re going to deal with it very sternly,” Ansari says of Iran’s regime.

The digital world may be full of threats, but God is there, too. Heart4Iran’s virtual church provides a haven for secret believers. A platform called “My Kelisa” hosts evangelism and discipleship resources. Learn more here.

Pray that the Lord will help people in Iran discover His truth. “Pray that God would open the door for freedom to reign and for people to start experiencing their God-given right,” Ansari requests.

Header and story images courtesy of Heart4Iran.

Why is this a big deal?

Mike Ansari with Heart4Iran explains, “Iranians and Saudis have been adversaries for years, especially after the last 20 years of the Islamic Revolution. The relationship has soured because Saudi Arabia believes that Iran is actively trying to export Shiite Islam, and Saudis are Sunnis.

“The Iranian regime has had a major influence in reshaping the politics of Iraq post-Saddam Hussein. They were involved in Yemen and directly involved with the Houthi rebels. Also, Iran has had influence and presence in Syria fighting ISIS and in other regions as well. So Saudi Arabia sees that as a threat of exportation of Shiite Islam to the rest of the Muslim world.”

A mural in the holy city of Qom depicts Ayatollah Khomeini, leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, on the left and Ali Khamenei, the current Supreme Leader of Iran, on the right. (Photo/Caption courtesy of David Stanley via Flicker: https://flic.kr/p/ez3Q3N)

On one hand, Saudis and Iranians re-establishing diplomatic ties would be good for stabilizing geopolitics in the Middle East.

On the other hand, Ansari says, “The peace that has been brokered between Saudis and Iran by China is extremely telling of the fact that America and the West are soon losing their footing and influence that they once had across Middle East; specifically, in the region that is an oil-producing region.”

Less Western influence in this region of the Middle East means less oversight of Iran’s human rights abuses.

“We are going to continue to see more pressure on the religious minorities, more pressure on anyone who stands up to speak against the atrocities and the crimes that the Iranian government is committing,” says Ansari.

Thankfully, we serve God who is sovereign over the nations.

Please pray for spiritual strength and wisdom for Christians both in Iran and Saudi Arabia sharing the Gospel at the risk of their own lives.

Learn more about Heart4Iran’s ministry here!

Header photo courtesy of Heart4Iran.